Cotton-picker.



L. I. HAMILTON. coTToN Hmm. APPLICATION FILED DEU. 14, 1907. 923,649.'Patented June 1,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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wi h1 como L. I. HAMILTON. COTTON PICKER. APPLICATION FILED DEO.14,1907.

lan/M5027? Witwe r NITED sTATEs PATENT oFEioE.

LEWIS I. .lIAMILTON, Ol" NEW MADRID, MISSOURI.

COTTON-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Tune 1, 1909.

Application led December 14, 1907. Serial No. 406,456.

rl'o all wlmi/1 'it may concern.'

citizen of the United States, residing at New Madrid, iii. the County ofNew Madrid and State ol Missouri, have invented new which the followingis a specification.

The invention relates te an improvement iii cotton pickers of the anddelivered into the storage receptacle entirely by pneumatic action.

The main obj est of the present invention is the provision of apneumatic cotton .picker in which the cotton is separated from the podsiiiainly by suction, the construction including an auxiliary device inthe use of which the material maybe mechanically separated from the podswhen necessary.

Another obj ect is the provision of a storage receptacle for the cottonpicked by the apparatus, which receptacle is so formed as to provide forthe initial separation from the cotton material of the usual refuseaccom- J panying such material.

rlhe invention will be described in the following specication, referencebeing had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which z* Figure1 is a view in side elevation of a cotton picker constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 anend elevation of the same. Fig. 4 a plan of the picking bell. v Fig. 5is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation of the picking bell inposition on the picking tube.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein isillustrated a preferred and simple forni of the improved apparatus, itwill be noted that the operative arts. of the machine are supportedupona bed 1 of a` wheeled structure 2, as for example an ordinary Wagon. Thedetailed construction of the wheeled su apparatus is entirely immateriaso far as the present invention is concerned, it being understood inthis connection that the apparatus in commercial form is designed to bedrawn lengthwise the field during the picking o eration, and that thewagon body may be el) any construction desired, the sole re uirementbeing that it avoid injury to the p ants over which it is passing.

Secured upon the rear end of the platform 1 is a suction fan 3, which isalso of any usual I suction forms no material and i though not usefulliiiproveiiients in Cotton-Pickers, of l pneumatic type, l U wherein thecotton is picked from the plant li and in port for the or preferredconstruction and except that it should be of a character to create apowerful part of the )resent The fan is thus pre erably, necessarily,driven by an ordinary belt 4 from a suitable iiiotor, such as a gasengine 5, though the ian may be geared direct, or otherwise operated ifdesired. The suction box 6, oii'set from the fan casing opencommunication therewith, is

invention.

,i provided with divergent suction pipes 7 and 8, the former extendinglaterally ol the wagon body, while the latter extends rearwardly andtransversely ol said body in rear of the fan casing, terminating beyondthe side of the body in opposition to the projo."- tion of the pipe iPicking tubes t) are connected to the terminals of the respectivesuction pipes 7 and 8, so that by the arrangement of said pipesdescribed the picking tubes normally project in opposite directionsfroin the wagon body and are capable of an extended sphere of movementon each side and in rear of the wagon body. The picking tubes, which areflexible hose, are of the ordinary form except that they gradually taperfrom their connection with the suction pipesto their free or outer ends,so that from the free or picking end of each tube the inteiior diametergraduaily increases toward the suction pi es.

The free en of each picking tube is provided with what I term a ickingbell, consisting essentially in a bel sha ed body 1() havin a pipeextension 11 to t within the end o the picking tube and formed beyondsaid extension to provide a materially enlarged mouth 12. Disposedwithin the flared portion of the bell is a diametrically arranged ramestrip 13 in which is formed a bearing 14 for the reception of a stubshaft 15. The relatively inner end of this shaft is provided withpropeller blades 16, While the outer end is formed or otherwise providedwith divergent tines 17, forming a fork for engagement with the cotton,as willpresently appear.

From the construction described it is obvious that the suction createdby the fan 3 will, through the medium of the blades 16, impart acontinuous revolution to the stub shaft 15, thereby revolving the forkand constituting the latter in effect a mechanical picker.

Leading from the fan casing 3 in opposition to the suction ipes 7 and 8is a delivery ipe 18, throng which the air drawn from tlie suction pipesis forced by the fan.

'lhc delivery pipe projects forwardly from the casing in an upwarddirection, terminating in a downturned delivery end or mouth 19, whichdirectly and centrally overlies a wheels thereof, said platform restingin advance of the wheeled frame.

2. A cotton picker comprising a wheeled frame, a suction fan mountedthereon, u

receptacle or cotton receiver' 20. The rel suction box in communicationwith the fan,

rceiver 20 is preferably of cylindrical form and of substantialproportions, the wall of the receiver being formed of wire netting, asclearly ap )arent from the drawings.

Secured upon the forward axle and tongue of the wagon is asemicylindrical latform 2]., which projects beyond the whee s and issupported on brackets 22 rising from extensions of the axle. Theplatform provides a support for the operator when working at the forwardend of the apparatus.

In use the wagon is moved longitudinally of the field betweenthc rows,and one or more operators apply the picking bells to the respective ripepods. The suction will be found sufficient to detach the ripe cottonfrom the pods and draw the same through the picking tubes 9 into the fancasing and from the latter to the delivery tube 18 and thence to thereceiver 20. Practically all the matured cotton will be easily separatedby the suction, but in those pods in which the cotton, though desirablefor commercial purposes, is not thoroughly ripe or is slightly damp thefork 17 is brought into play, being engaged with such cotton and, by therevolution im arted through the propellers 16 will readi y twist ordetach the cotton from the pods.

The material of which the apparatus is to be constructed, or the size ofthe various parts, are not important in the present invention, it beingcontemplated to construct the ap aratus of a light substantial characterand of a capacity suitable to the requirements of its particular use.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is1- 1. Acotton picker comprising a wheeled frame, a suction apparatus mountedthereon, and a supporting platform terminally connected to t e forwardaxle beyond the a pipe section leading from said box laterally of t eframe, a second pipe section in communication with the box and extendinglongitudinally of the frame and laterally thereof in opposition to thefirst pipe section, and suction tubes connected to the respective pipesections.

3. A cotton picker comprising a wheeled frame, a suction fan mountedthereon, a suction box in communication with the fan, a pipe sectionleading from said box laterally of the frame, a second pipe section incommunication with the box and extending longitudinally' of the frameand laterally thereof in opposition to the first pipe section, andsuction tubes connected to the respective pipe sections, each of saidtubes comprising a flexible member tapering from its connection with thepipe section toward the free end.

4. A cotton picker comprising a wheeled frame, a suction fan mountedthereon, a suction box in communication with the fan, a pipe sectionleading from said box laterally of the frame, a second pipe section incornmunication with the box and extending longitudinally of the frameand laterally thereof in opposition to the irst pipe section, suctiontubes connected to the respective pipe sections, each of said tubescomprising a fiexible member tapering from its connection with the ipesection toward the free end, a bell mout i removably connected to thefree end of each suction tube, and automatically actuated picking meansarranged in said bell mouth.

In testimony whereof I allx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LEWIS I. HAMILTON.

Witnesses W. H. DIGGET, HENRY C. RILEY, Jr.

